For: 2014-15 new students (MBA, MSc and PhD)
Welcome from Professor Joe Nellis, Director of the School of Management, and Professor David Grayson,
Director of the Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility!
Together with more than 500 other management schools in 80 countries across the world we have signed the
UN Principles of Responsible Management Education, recognising the importance of incorporating corporate
sustainability into our teaching, research and own practices. We want you, our next generation of business
leaders, to develop four key attributes:
1.
Be adaptive, self-aware and willing to practice ethical leadership, able to think independently, learn from
events in the external environment, and promote responsible governance
2.
Adopt cutting edge managerial practices and business acumen – aligning performance objectives, reward
systems, and employee engagement with core values
3.
Develop entrepreneurial thinking, including elements of social entrepreneurship and innovative
approaches
4.
Understand the environment of business – how to manage in times where the need for an ethical and
responsible mindset is critical, when we are experiencing rapid change, uncertainty, complexity and global
diversity.
The MBA programme is one of our key areas for incorporating sustainability into our teaching. During your
time here you will have many opportunities to further explore corporate responsibility and sustainability– e.g.
through case study teaching, conferences and seminars, our Sustainable Business elective, an independent
project, or even joining the global student led Net Impact group.
As a leading management school, we need to engage in this discourse today, which in turn will help us become
a stronger and ever-relevant school of management tomorrow. The ‘business of business is sustainable
business’.
The Doughty Centre defines a responsible business as one which is committed to: minimising negative
environmental and social impacts and maximising positive environmental and social impacts; and open and
transparent business practices that are based on ethical values and respect for employees, communities, and
the environment designed to deliver sustainable value to society at large, as well as to shareholders. It is not a
bolt-on to business operations - it has to be built-in to business purpose and strategy
Responsible and sustainable management mean managing impacts in the:
1.
Marketplace: e.g. protection of vulnerable customers, responsibility for misuse of its products and
services, sourcing sustainably
2.
Workplace: e.g. creating a great place to work, managing diversity and equal opportunities, health
and well-being
3.
Environment: e.g. reducing carbon emissions, waste and use of non-renewable resources
4.
Community: e.g. education, employability, economic renewal
For: 2014-15 new students (MBA, MSc and PhD)
How you can get involved
1.
Our MBA Sustainable Business elective in term 3 specifically on sustainable business, which is multidisciplinary and includes a group project with a company and a real issue they are addressing.
2.
We also work closely with other disciplines, such as macro-economics and OBPPD, so that together we
can further explore aspects of sustainability and responsibility in the classroom, as well as specific classes
on some of the MSc programmes.
3.
We publicise international student competitions such as the annual Hult Challenge and the Nespresso
Sustainability Challenge.
4.
Books and films (that can be borrowed) and reports are available in from the Doughty Centre Information
Zone, in the Centre’s offices within CMRI (ground floor). These are not core or elective class required
reading, rather they are resources for students with an interest in CR and sustainability. Through our
website library you can access our publications and research. www.doughtycentre.info Quick link ‘Library’
5.
Opportunities to attend our Cranfield Corporate Responsibility Network (CCRN) events. CCRN organises
meetings roughly once per term and is a forum for Cranfield students and faculty to present research
and test out ideas, hear visiting speakers, explore new issues –. For updates on events go to
www.doughtycentre.info and click on Cranfield Corporate Responsibility Network (CCRN). We also
advertise these events around campus.
6.
Join the Cranfield Chapter of the MBA student group Net Impact: a global network of MBAs, graduate
students and professionals using the power of business to create a better world.
www.som.cranfield.ac.uk/som/p14324/Research/Networks/Net-Impact
7.
Doughty Centre Sustainability and CR student travel bursaries: to attend a student run sustainability
conference, apply to Doughty Centre via Thea Hughes: thea.hughes@cranfield.ac.uk. The first to take
place is EMERGE in term 1 in Oxford on social enterprise.
8.
Doughty Centre project and thesis opportunities: each year we offer independent project and thesis
subjects for students which are fulfilled in term 4, as part of your course. We also welcome suggestions
from you for ideas of any projects you may have. An email will be sent to students in term 2 of suggested
topics and corporate partners we have coordinated for you.
9.
We also occasionally get asked about students for intern positions after graduation, small research
projects, and we sometimes offer a short-term intern position for those students wanting to learn more
about the subject area. If you are interested, contact the Centre Manager who can then update you if
suitable opportunities arise: nadine.exter@cranfield.ac.uk
10. We also offer, alongside the SOM Career service, a small series of workshops on Careers in Sustainability,
which start from the end of term 2.
www.doughtycentre.info